My rifle arrived loaded......

[Brokenlaig]

I purchased an old parts put together/kit/something or other rifle from an individual on another (non-ML) board. The rifle arrived today via USPS.....and to my surprise there's a ball in there. :shocked2: It's a couple of inches shy of the breech so it might be a dryball or just stuck. It's a .45 long rifle and I don't have a proper .45 screw :redface: or even a good ramrod that long so I'll need to order one (the current ramrod is a stick that has absolutely seen better days).

 

[Rogue River]

"CAREFUL" :shocked2: That 2 inches shy of the breech could be powder.

 

[Oldnamvet]

I'd be pushing some penetrating oil in through the nipple and down the bore to help make sure that, if it is powder, it doesn't have the potential to catch a spark. It will also help when you pull the ball that things are well lubed.

 

[Zonie]

WARNING;
A muzzleloader I once bought was loaded when I got it home.
My first thought was to take it to a shooting range and shoot the load out (I can't shoot at my house without the police raiding my home and charging me with discharging a firearm in the city limits).

As the range is quite a drive from my house and the gun was a percussion style with a side drum I decided to remove the drum to see what was in there.
I'm glad I did.

When the drum was removed I peeked inside with a flashlight and saw that the powder looked like little gray cylinders. This manure was SMOKELESS powder! :shocked2:

I ended up using a ball screw to remove the ball and to allow flushing out all of the powder.

I've always wondered if this was just an honest mistake or if someone out there wanted to create a bomb that would blow up when it was shot.

Anyway, try to get a ball remover and a good ramrod to remove the stuck ball. If this isn't possible, I would suggest that you buy a 1/4 inch threaded grease fitting at the local auto parts store. Screw it into the nipple hole and get a local filling station to pump grease thru it to force the ball and powder out of the gun.

Another even better way is to buy a CO2 ball discharger and blow the powder and ball out with it.

Either way is better than setting off a potential bomb.

 

[Keppy]

I just take the nipple out of my rifles and use the air compressor. I use a air tip with the rubber nipple on it to make a good seal on the nipple hole and blow it out. I use a towel in bucket to catch the ball. Got be careful on presure and where your pointing it.

 

[nw_hunter]

So how much air pressure are we talking to blow it out? Brad

 

[maypo59]

70psi will blow conicals (320g Lee R.E.A.L.) out of mine, 100 psi will spit a PRB out right smartley.

I pull the cleanout screw and just push/fit my rubber tipped hose end up to the hole and squeeze the trigger on the handle. link to the tool thing ...

works for me.

 

[Mike 56]

If you have a ball puller larger than 45cal you can chuck it in a drill and turn it down to 45cal with a file. For a rod buy some 5/16 steel rod drill and tap one end for the ball puller. Drill a hole across the other end of the rod and put a nail in it for a handle. Use a leather strap to fasten the rod to a nail on a wall and pull on the rifle to pull the ball it's a lot easier than pulling on the rod.

Mike56

 

[WadePatton]

WARNING;
A muzzleloader I once bought was loaded when I got it home...
This manure was SMOKELESS powder! :shocked2:
...
Either way is better than setting off a potential bomb.

Man I WISH you were joking. That's just STUPID or SICK--either way would have left a mark if you hadn't caught it.

Your post should be a sticky.

I think I'm going to make a hobby of checking for loaded stuffers at the pawn shops--maybe they'll pay me to unload 'em. You know I'm going to find one. I'll use air. :wink:

 

[grizzly adam]

The rifle arrived today via USPS.....and to my surprise there's a ball in there.

Yeah ... I know the feeling. :cursing:

Back in 1998 I purchased a (supposedly) brand-new LG&Y 1861 Colt Contract Rifle-Musket from a manufacturer whose name I won't divulge ... and during my inspection of the piece I discovered that it was loaded with a Minie ball! :shocked2: :shocked2:

Needless to say, I wasn't happy. After a little "discussion" with the purveyor of (supposedly) new Civil War replicas, I sent the piece back, and simply asked for the refund of my money. Just couldn't develop confidence after that.

So, boys ... never assume, always check, and don't be too surprised. It's all happened before, and it will again.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed ... and alive to tell the tale! :grin: :wink:

 

[gbsclohn]

No Problem For Me
That is the way I was always taught and the way that I taught my kids and wife.
ALWAYS,ALWAYS ASSUME A GUN IS LOADED AND TREAT IT AS SUCH-don't matter if it is your own gun or someone elses-modern or muzzleloader
Cause less problems that way in the long run :thumbsup:

 

[boucanier]

Part of my gunfixins at home are several types of Zirc fittings for grease guns in different sizes and angles. Screw in a grease fitting where your nipple goes and pump that load/dryball out the end, then remove the Zirc and shove the grease back out the bottom. Safe and easy but be sure you have something to catch the grease in both ways.

Boucanier

 

[Jim Buchholz]

As Zonie suggested use a CO2 discharger. It will be the best $30 you ever spent.

 

[theDuck]

I attended one gun auction where I looked down a muzzleloader barrel with the flashlight. Yep, there was a ball down at the breach. Told the auctioneer. He was indifferent. I don't attend his auctions anymore.

 

[Keppy]

I just have the compressor air up to normal presure. I just touch the air lightly and you will hear and feel it move. Just a touch again and it pops out. After you do it a few times, its a piece of cake so to speak.